Journey
by tiffy-kun823
Summary: She has always known Sasuke as someone who leaves. And yet, every time he leaves, he comes right home to her. SasuXSaku. Rewrite of Without You. Please Read if you like Romance.
1. Chapter 1

**_Re-write of Without You. Please go to that story for explanation. No you don't need to read that to get this._**

**_Since I don't really like how Naruto ended, just try to imagine that no one has died in the series as I may mention them leading lives.  
><em>****_(Specifically Neji {Because of a future fanfic (teehee)} and maybe Itachi {because of She Loves a Killer})_**

**_And yes, to answer any questions, my new Naruto fanfics are going to be like side-fics to each other, constantly referencing history between them after the war, etc.  
><em>****_Ok now that's out of the way..._**

**_Thanks for reading!_**

**_I hope you all enjoy!_**

**_Love, Tiffy_**

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><p>Weddings tended to make Sakura more depressed than she ought to have been.<p>

The constant, love-filled smiles of the bride and groom. The proud eyes of the couple's parents. The beautiful music, dancing, clothes; everything.

Sakura wondered if being jealous of some of the more shallow aspects of a wedding made her a terrible person. She deduced, after very little time, that, yes, she was absolutely terrible.

She wouldn't be so envious if she were certain of her own relationship status.

About a week after Naruto and Hinata's wedding, _he _came to see her. Despite summer being around the corner, the night was cold and windy, which made his presence even more dramatic than she would have liked. Sakura was sitting on her terrace just as the rest of the village was starting to go to sleep. She watched absentmindedly as lights began to go off in various houses and teenagers run down the street, sneaking away from their parents.

Sakura felt that she should have been out with friends or out dating but something kept her planted on the bench several feet above the rest of the town instead of down below with humanity. She wore a simple blue robe and had the urge to go inside, as the air was getting colder.

It was when she stood and stretched that _he _landed gracefully before her. He looked at her smoothly, his black eyes making her stiffen at the light that sparkled in them. She doesn't remember how fierce his eyes use to look; all she knew now was that the sight of his eyes, not hooded with the weight of the world, made her heart jump, even though she should be familiar with his new, bright eyes.

He stood before Sakura, each of his joints seeming to uncurl as he stood at his full height, his knees locking, his shoulders rolling, a heavy breath making his chest expand out and back into place.

He was dressed casually in baggy, black pants and a loose red shirt, open a bit at the chest. His hair was a bit shorter than the last she saw him and his knuckles were wrapped in old bandages.

Sakura felt a bit stupid, staring at him like she was a buffoon, but she took in his every detail because she knew he would be leaving again soon and she wanted to remember every detail about him for as long as she could.

Oh yes, her heart still yearned for him, that was certain, but Sakura had grown cynical with time. She knew she could marry a nice person, another doctor, perhaps, have several kids, grow to be ancient and still love Sasuke Uchiha.

Sakura smiled at Sasuke in welcome and folded her arms, as the wind whipped past them. "Hi," she peeped, feeling her cheeks heat up. Despite Sasuke being a much kinder person, he still lacked a capacity for charm and small talk. "I'm only passing through," he replied, his voice something higher than a rumble, but low enough to make Sakura's blush deepen.

Before Sakura could respond, hiding her disappointment, he took a few steps closer to her and murmured, "I needed to see you, Sakura."

She felt her eyes widen slightly. Her name slid off his tongue slowly, after a soft pause as if to add emphasis that yes, he wanted, no needed, to see her.

But this was all probably in Sakura's head.

Sasuke's strong arms around her waist, however, was not all in her head. She didn't imagine his lips against her own, devouring her, claiming her tenderly. She didn't imagine his tongue grazing against her lower lip and the skilled way he used it to open her mouth ever so slightly. No, this was all completely real.

"Sasuke?" she mumbled as he pulled away softly. He brushed his thumbs against her cheeks and nuzzled his nose against the side of her face, taking in her scent. "While I was gone, I thought about you. Often." Sakura listened halfheartedly as she was far too distracted by Sasuke's hands softly massaging her back and shoulder blades.

"Wait for me," he murmured in her ear, offering her a peck on the cheek. "I won't be gone long." Sakura felt tears well in her throat and took his face in her hands. She pulled him into another harsh kiss and he pushed her gently into the wall behind them and not so gently stripped Sakura of any control she had of this kiss.

They broke apart with a rough breath and Sakura faintly thought she saw him smirking. That thought alone made her smile. Knowing, even if he didn't tell her exactly, that he wanted to be with her made Sakura's stomach flutter. She would be lying if she thought that she didn't have any reservations.

But the intensity in Sasuke's eyes as he gazed down at her, waiting patiently for her to promise to wait for him, was nearly enough to make Sakura pledge herself to him.

Sasuke must have noticed the apprehension in her eyes, because he caressed her face and said, "I'll only be gone for another few weeks. When I return, I'll show you why I'm worth waiting for." His eyes, which were narrow with intensity, softened. "You can trust me, Sakura," he purred softly.

Sakura bit her lip anxiously and leaned to kiss him once more. "I'll wait for you. I promise."

And he did return. Sasuke was gone for about four months, which left Sakura biting her nails in fear; what if he was hurt? What if he was imprisoned? What if... What if..What if...

Sakura sat in her office at the hospital, her mood sour because of her worries, as a gaggle of nurses ran past her door giggling. Sakura twirled her finger in her hair in a moment of disinterest before standing, stretching her arms and wandering outside to see what all the fuss was about.

Seeing Sasuke walking toward her with a large box in his arms nearly turned Sakura into a giggling girl, too. Sasuke immediately pinned her with a gaze and when he was close enough, pressed his free hand to the small of her back and led her back into her office, away from all the prying eyes.

Sakura blushed at his need for privacy and closed the door behind them. She faced Sasuke with a smile and asked, "How have you been?" Sasuke looked around the room while mumbling, "I've been fine. Are you alright, Sakura?" She laughed softly and sat on her desk. "I'm okay. I've been a bit worried about you, though."

Sasuke offered her a slight smirk. "You don't ever need to worry about me, Sakura," he said pinning himself between her legs and giving her a soft peck on the lips. She felt warmth begin to pool in her stomach, which is what often happened when he was this close to her.

Sakura, unfortunately let her shyness get the better of her and quickly asked, "What's in the box?" She noticed Sasuke's smirk deepen as he pulled away from her and handed to rather large, but light box to her. "I got this for you," he murmured softly.

Sakura stood and placed the box on the desk before opening the box, her hands trembling in excitement. While the box itself was rather plain, the inside was filled with soft white fabric that was so smooth, Sakura thought it was rip with the slightest pressure. She pulled, what happened to be a dress, from the box and stared at it in slight confusion.

"I'd like for you to wear that for me, Sakura." She looked up at him and smiled, her face flushed. "When we get married."

Sakura's smile faltered as her jaw dropped in shock. "Married?" Sasuke grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Well, not tomorrow, but eventually. When the time is right," he chuckled softly. She felt the heat radiating off of him and couldn't bring herself to look at his face. He seemed to notice this and tipped her chin to force her gaze.

"I understand if this isn't what you want, Sakura," he mumbled, "but, I knew that I had to ask." She looked into his eyes for a long while. "How do you know that you want me?" she whispered.

Sakura did not expect to hear louder laughing come from him. The red on her cheeks returned completely. "Sakura, you can be really dense sometimes."

Sakura huffed and pushed him away roughly, delicately placing the beautiful dress back in the box. He smirked wolfishly at her sudden anger and took her hands in his own. "It's all very simple, Sakura," he murmured and kissed her lips softly.

"I know I want you, because I love you." He lips continued along her jaw as Sakura moaned softly in response, her throat beginning to tighten.

"I love you, and so, I want to marry you. I know that no one else will be a better companion for me. No one else will be a better wife and mother eventually. And," he paused, placing his hands on her shoulders and resting his forehead against hers.

"I need to give you something, in thanks for always loving me and trying to help me through everything when we were young. You have no idea what that means to me now, Sakura."

She didn't feel the tears trickling down her face, but she did feel Sasuke's hands having a gentleness that she never expect out of him as he brushed her tears away. The absolute joy the coursed throughout Sakura's body suddenly made her laugh.

"This is the most open I'll get to see you, isn't it," she giggled. Sasuke scowled a bit and kissed her roughly, pulling her petite body as close to him as possible. "Just say that you'll marry me, Sakura."

She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I would love to marry you. When the time is right." He nodded into their kiss, seemingly satisfied. "I love you, Sasuke," she breathed against his lips.

Sakura felt him smirk against her and heard his deep voice murmur, "I love you."

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><p>In the months that followed Sasuke's rather impromptu proposal, Sakura's life seemed to spin out of balance. <em>Everyone<em> seemed to know about the engagement within hours of Sasuke just speaking to her.

As Sasuke walked her home that night, Naruto, Ino and Kakashi bombarded them with questions, back-breaking hugs and overjoyed tears.

"I knew this would happen! I always knew it!" Naruto yelled shaking Sasuke by the shoulders.

"I can't wait to see you in your wedding dress. Oh, I just know you're going to be so beautiful!" Ino shrieked spinning Sakura around.

"This is such a happy day," Kakashi murmured more to himself than to the others.

Once they were calm and quiet, Sakura asked, quickly noting Sasuke's annoyed scowl, hoe they knew about the engagement.

"Oh, come on, Sakura! You don't think that Sasuke can just walk in the hospital and see you without people gossiping about it, do you? You work with Yukio, right? Well she told me that the other friend was absolutely floored that you and Sasuke were alone together so she just happened to innocently listen in on the conversation you had. She told Yukio what happened and Yukio told me and Hinata. Hinata told Naruto because of course Naruto had to know, so here we are," Ino blurted out excitedly.

Sakura tried not to be too agitated that she and Sasuke had no privacy with this issue, but she new deep down that as soon as even one person knew, _everybody _in the village would know.

"I'm so excited for you, Sakura," Ino said pulling her into another hug, "I just know you're going to be so happy."

And Ino was right. In the following weeks Sakura was happier than she had ever been. She built a blissfully love-filled routine with Sasuke, though they couldn't see each other very often. He would come to get her from the hospital at the end of the day and they would spend the evening together, unless he was away on a mission. Whenever Sakura asked what he did during the day, he would simply smirk and tell her "it's a surprise", then change the conversation.

For about two months, they spent nearly every day together. One dark evening, instead of going straight to Sakura's apartment as usual, Sasuke led Sakura across the village and to his old home, much to Sakura's shock.

"I've been fixing the place for us," Sasuke mumbled looking away from her. Sakura could only stare at him, her heart fluttering madly as she took his hand and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Thank you, Sasuke," she murmured, not having any other words to really express how much this meant to her.

They walked around the grounds of the Uchiha Manor for a long while and talked before Sasuke led her into the main house. It was even larger in the inside than it appeared from outdoors, with long hallways and high ceilings. There was massive foyer that opened branched off into the family room, kitchen, dining room and library. Down a hallway from the kitchen was a few bedrooms, where Sasuke explained to a blushing Sakura, would be where their children would sleep. Nearby, across a small garden would be their bedroom, which was completely detached from the house. A huge bed, covered in dark blankets, stood in the middle of the room.

"Sasuke, this is all so perfect. I- I don't even know what to say." He looked at her and gave her an unreadable look. "You're happy, then?" Sakura laughed and tossed her arms around his neck, kissing his lips briefly. "Of course I'm happy." Sasuke smirked and kissed her again with a beautiful amount of passion.

She had come to learn that Sasuke had a variety of lovely kisses. Sometimes his lips would be soft and warm, but lazy and relaxed. Other times, he would kiss her roughly, his lips cool but consuming. Those harsh, demanding kisses would always take her by surprise and have her moaning like crazy. Her moaning, in turn, would make him rougher, but he would stop himself before things got too far. Sakura, though she would never tell him this, wouldn't mind if things did go too far, but she respected that he stopped for whatever reason.

Since the manor was ready for them to live in, something in Sakura made her want to move forward quickly with the rest of the wedding plans. She was a bit nervous to tell him that she was ready, borderline anxious, but she hoped he would take it well.

She tried telling him on one of the nights they spent in each other's company, but by the time she convinced herself to just tell him, Sasuke was already asleep on her bed.

When she woke up, Sasuke had his arm wrapped tightly around her waist. He was already awake and Sakura was content to just lay there with him for several more minutes. After a while, she felt Sasuke's grip loosen and grabbed his upper arm to keep him close.

He chuckled softly and pecked her on the lips. "I have to go, Sakura," he whispered in her ear. Sakura smiled and watched him as he stood and stretched. Sakura felt her stomach begin to flip and before she knew it, words threw themselves from her mouth.

"Are you ready to get married?"

Sasuke looked at her and she immediately looked away. She heard him laugh again and say, "I've been ready since I asked you, Sakura."

She looked back at him and beamed, her eyes bright. "Okay, great. I have to- Oh, god, I have so much to do..." Sasuke watched her with amused eyes and Sakura scrambled around her bedroom getting dressed and mumbling something about flowers, food and guests.

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><p>Sakura sat in her mother's boudoir on the morning of her wedding with a wide smile on her face. It was the perfect time of the spring, when the flowers were in full bloom and the days were warm. Planning the wedding was difficult, but Ino and Hinata were able to help as they had each gone through this process before.<p>

It would be a rather small affair, but cozy and filled with friends and Sakura's family. The dress Sasuke had brought to her when he first proposed fit like a second skin and Sakura thought she looked radiant. Her mother brushed and pinned her hair into an elaborate bun.

She hadn't spoken in depth to her parents for the past few months but she remembers when she and Sasuke went to their house to tell them. The dinner, after they broke the news, was stiff and silent, but neither of them had told Sakura that they didn't approve, so she had to assume that they were simply shocked.

As her mother pinned her last strand of hair into place, Sakura looked back at her and noticed heavy tears streaming down her face.

Sakura took her hands. "What's wrong, Mom?" Sakura thought that she was simply upset to be losing a daughter, but the words that left her mother's lips nearly made Sakura cry herself.

"Don't do this, Sakura."

Sakura stared at her and let go of her hands numbly.

"Your father made me swear not to say anything but I can't let you go through with this. You may have forgiven this man for all he's put you through but we can't. We remember how much he hurt you. We remember all the nights you spent crying for this-this boy! Sakura please, I don't want you to be unhappy. Please, there's still time."

Sakura looked away form her and swallowed the lump that was forming in her throat. "Mom, people change and everyone deserves a second chance. I know that he loves me and that he won't hurt me."

Sakura stood then and left the room before things could get worse. She hoped that they would accept her decision, but she knew that what she was doing was right.

Seeing Sasuke waiting for her at the end of the aisle truly convinced her that this was meant to be.

She didn't remember much of the actual ceremony. She could only recall how Sasuke stared at her, unsmiling, his eyes dark and intense, staring at her with absolute desire and affection. She stared at him too, the tears pooling in her eyes, a small smile on her face. When he finally kissed her, he took her face in his hands possessively and kissed her with all the passion he seemed to have. She pulled him into a tight embrace and rested her hands on his broad shoulders.

The party afterward was incredibly fun. There was a lot of laughing and dancing. Naruto was, as always, the life of the party and everyone seemed to have a great time. Sasuke didn't laugh or dance, but she could tell that he was in good spirits.

Later that night, she and Sasuke rode away from the village, deep into the forest and through a mountain pass. After nearly an hour, they arrived at one of several different houses the Uchiha family owned. "This is so romantic of you, Sasuke." He smirked down at her and took her hand to lead her into the house.

There were several flowers decorating the majority of the house. "I let Ino decorate," Sasuke mumbled a bit darkly and Sakura giggled in response. All too soon, Sasuke led her into their bedroom, which was large and warm, with a beautiful view of the mountains behind them.

Sakura felt Sasuke's eyes on her and she felt a blush tease at her cheeks. Sasuke's arms went about her waist and he pulled her to him, the back of her head resting against his chest. He leaned down and placed soft kissed on her ear, cheek and along her jaw. He voice, when he finally spoke, gave Sakura chills. "Don't be nervous, Sakura."

Sakura turned in his embrace and let him continue to kiss down her neck, occasionally letting his tongue graze her soft skin and his teeth nip at the valley between her neck and jaw. Sakura tangled her fingers in his silky hair and pulled his face to trap his lips in a kiss. She felt his press deep against her own and moaned as his hands traveled along her hips and back.

This seemed so surreal to Sakura. All of Sasuke's movements were so deliberate and felt like soft puffs of air against her skin. She felt the soft silk of her dress drop from her shoulders and down her body, completely exposing herself to him, donning nothing except a pair of pretty white panties.

Sakura blushed as Sasuke's dark eyes roved her body. With a dark hunger Sakura didn't know he still had in him, he threw his shirt quickly into a corner and cupped her breasts. Sakura gasped and bit her lip to conceal a moan, but that proved to be difficult as he softly massaged her breasts gently, each of his movements drawing a reaction from her.

He gave her a surprised looked when Sakura impulsively grabbed the waistband of his pants and gave a soft pull. Sasuke then smirked and leaned back to let her do as she pleased. Sakura felt her heat form on her cheeks as she continue to pull down his pants. She kissed down his chest and stomach and, with the darkest blush, the tip of his impressive manhood.

"Ahh, Sakura," Sasuke groaned. "Come here." As soon as she was steady on her feet, Sasuke lifted her into his arms as Sakura laughed and wrapped her legs around his waist.

He placed her gently on the bed and kneeled over her, extinguishing all the light in the room before hovering over her and kissing her, all previous decorum gone. He ripped her panties from her body, but Sakura was too distracted to care about them at the moment. They each caressed and groped at each other, rolling around on the large bed, kissing sloppily and moaning loudly.

Sakura felt his hardness pressed against her inner thigh and shuddered in anticipation. Sasuke's warm body was completely aligned with hers and pinned her to the bed, their sweat mingling together.

Sasuke pulled his lips from her own and stared into her eyes, his breaths deep and uneven. His hand went between their bodies and slowly parted her legs, massaging her inner thighs. He slowly circled his finger around her outer folds and Sakura moaned sharply and arched her back as he slowly pushed his finger inside of her.

He gently removed his finger and smirked in approval. "You're ready for me, Sakura." She felt her entire body heat up at his words and shifted as he placed his arms on either side of her head. He used one hand to steady her hip and position himself at her entrance.

He was inside of her in a swift motion. Sakura arched her back at the unfamiliar sensation and cried out in pleasure. Sasuke grunted through his teeth and pulled out of her slowly before thrusting into her roughly and continued this patterned util Sakura was dragging her nails down his arms, tossing her head from side to side, begging for him to go faster. "Please, Sasuke," she whined.

He captured her lips in a rough kiss and increased the pace of his thrusts, until the only sounds in the room were his impassioned grunts, her loud moans and the hard knocking of the headboard behind them. Sakura wrapped her legs around his waist instinctively and raked her nails across his back, which only seemed to encourage him further.

Sasuke used his strong hands to grip her thighs and skillfully pushed them so that her legs were hooked over his shoulders to deepen his quick thrusts. This position only made Sakura's screams louder and more breathy as she was so very close to release.

After a few thrusts he lowered her legs back down onto the bed and completely covered her body with his, keeping their pace quick and deep. He felt her legs around his waist once more and smirked offering her a rather chaste kiss considering their, well, circumstances.

The feeling of Sasuke's entire body rubbing against her own was enough send Sakura over the edge and the felt her body convulsing in pleasurable agony and saw white behind her eyes. She clung to his body for support and screamed out his name, the breath leaving her completely.

She heard his grunting increase and felt his breath on her ear when he breathily whispered, "Tell me, Sakura. Tell me, now."

Subconsciously, she knew what he needed and blurted it out as he rode out her peak. "I love you, Sasuke. I love you, I love you."

In a few moments she felt his essence completely fill her and heard him groan, "Sakura", her name on his voice like words he was always meant to say.

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><p><em><strong>Next Chapter: Coming Soon<strong>_

_**Hope Y'all Enjoyed**_

_**Please Review!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**So I don't think that come of the other chapters will be as long as the first one, but we'll see.**_

_**Shout Outs and Thank Yous!**_

_**Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows**_

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><p><em><strong>Alrighty please enjoy<strong>_

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><p>The morning after her wedding, Sakura remembers the feeling of bliss and disbelief she felt as she stared at the beautiful mountain tableau through the window across the room. She was alone in the rather large bed, but Sasuke's scent still lingered around the room. Sakura stretched in bed for a few minutes, then walked, promptly ignoring the soreness between her legs, to the bathroom, where she soaked lethargically, dressed and walked slowly to the kitchen.<p>

She rationalized the Sasuke must be training somewhere nearby and began to make food for them, her mind curiously blank, not in a way that made her feel numb, but in a way that kept her in a feeling of disbelief.

How is it that she was here, in a secluded manor in the mountains, on her honeymoon, with the man she had loved since she was a little girl?

It was all too good to be true, too dream-like to be real.

Sakura was pulled form her thoughts by the sound of the front door sliding closed. She was about to call out to him before he said, "I'm going to shower, then I'll meet you for breakfast, Sakura."

A flush appeared on Sakura's cheeks at hearing his voice. "Alright, um, take your time," she replied and returned to cooking their meal.

While Sakura enjoyed cooking, she knew that when they returned home she wouldn't be much of a housewife, as she had just as many responsibilities to the village as he did and she spent several hours at the hospital a day. She was certain that she could make the time for them to have dinner together but...; well, regardless, they'd find a routine that made each of them happy and that's what strong couples do.

Sasuke eventually walked into the kitchen, his dark hair damp and disheveled, low pants hanging lose from his hips. He approached Sakura and placed a soft kiss on her lips before asking, "Do you need any help?"

Sakura smiled, knowing that he secretly hoped that she said "no", and replied, "I've got it, just go sit down."

"I don't want you to serve me, Sakura," he murmured. She pursed her lips teasingly. "Just sit down, okay. I promise not to make this a habit."

Sasuke obliged, a low, stubborn growl, leaving his lips. They ate their breakfast and chatted nonchalantly throughout the morning. After she was done cleaning the kitchen, with Sasuke's help, of course, he carried her back to their bedroom and they made love.

The second time was nerve-wracking at first, as Sakura had no choice but to see all of Sasuke's impassioned features illuminated by the sunlight in the room. It was overwhelming, but soon became exceedingly enjoyable.

Sakura slept through most of the afternoon, while Sasuke trained again and they reconvened for dinner, which was similar to the quiet, intimacy of breakfast. After dinner they took a leisurely walk around the outside of the manor until the moon had completely risen.

They went to sleep a few hours later, Sasuke's name on her lips, sweat gleaming on both of their bodies and Sasuke's head resting on her breasts, his strong arm wrapped around her waist. He was seemingly insatiable, which made Sakura feel beautiful and desired and loved. He tried to restrain himself at first, but then, when he was relaxed, that he would allow himself to truly enjoy their time together.

After their second night together, Sasuke was less distant than he was the first day. They hiked and explored some of the mountain trails, swam in a small pond and climbed into a hidden cave. They returned to the manor deep into the night and slept well into the next morning.

The third day was quiet and Sakura took the time to be lazy and lounge outside in the sun while Sasuke trained hour after hour. He showered and took a long nap in the afternoon, which gave Sakura the time to make a special dinner for them. She even went as far as to wear a rather short, risque kimono that Tenten gave her as a wedding present and pin her hair to the top of her head.

Sasuke's grogginess completely went away when he entered the kitchen for dinner, but Sakura decided to tease him a bit and pretend that she didn't notice him staring at her all throughout dinner. She spoke to him is a soft, beckoning voice and purposely ate their dessert of fresh fruit slowly and sensually. He made her want to please him, which made her bolder than she usually was.

She was murmuring something about her plans when they returned home when he gruffly interrupted her, his voice a soft rumble. "Sakura, enough." She feigned innocence and fluttered her eyelashes. "What's the matter?" Instead of answering, he stood and held out his hand for her. When she was on her feet, Sasuke pulled her to him and kissed her deeply.

Before Sakura could respond, she felt her feet leave the floor as he threw her playfully over his shoulder. She laughed but squirmed against him the entire way to their bedroom, to no avail.

She was still giggling madly when he gently placed her on their bed. She sat up, her back against the headboard as he climbed over her and kissed her lips, neck and collarbone.

Sasuke was far to impatient to completely remove her kimono, so the sleeves were gathered around her elbows to give him access to her breasts. He quickly ripped her panties off of her and simply took her that way, half dressed and Sakura couldn't complain. They peaked together, a light scream leaving Sakura's throat while Sasuke tightened his grip around her waist. He collected his breath and kissed along her ear to her cheek.

Sakura smiled and laughed as she reach behind her back to untie her obi. Sasuke assisted her lazily and eventually tossed the gown across the room and started to tease her once again.

Sakura doesn't remember much after that, just falling asleep, her head resting on Sasuke's broad chest, his heart beating slowly, his entire body at ease.

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><p>Usually Sakura woke up to the soft chirping of mountain birds or the soft sun rays entering her room. For once, and Sakura will never forget this night, she woke up to a blood-curdling scream. She tossed her head toward the direction of the noise and sat up in bed. Her heart was racing as she looked at her husband, who was breathing and shaking while sitting on the edge of their bed.<p>

Sakura took a few composing breaths before gingerly placing her hand on his shoulder. He immediately flinched but kept his head in his hands and mumbled, his voice strained, "I'm sorry, Sakura. I... I didn't mean to wake you." She gently took his hands from his face and made him look at her, but he looked down, his eyes hallow.

"Tell me about it," Sakura whispered. To her chagrin, Sasuke simply shook his head and tried to remove himself from her grasp, but Sakura held on to him tighter.

She was suddenly very afraid that he would all in one moment revert back to his old ways and that was simply the last thing she wanted. "Don't push me away, please. I want to help you, Sasuke. Let me help you."

Sasuke let her hold him for a while before gently unwinding her arms from around his shoulders. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and stood abruptly. "I need some air. Go back to sleep, Sakura."

She felt her heart jump in slight panic. He wouldn't leave her, would he? She couldn't form words and could only stare at him helplessly. When he finally did meet her gaze he approached her and caressed her face.

"I'm just going to go for a quick walk," he murmured, "I'll be back soon."

Sakura felt somewhat reassured by her words but she had trouble getting back to sleep after he left. She cried a little, despite herself, because she felt so useless. Sasuke didn't return to their room until the sun was just starting to rise. He climbed in next to her and put an arm around her waist.

They were silent before Sasuke finally spoke.

"There is still so much I have to do, Sakura, so much I have to make up for." She couldn't reply to him. She didn't understand why he didn't think that he had already paid for his mistakes. "We'll return home tonight, but then I have to go. I need to continue my penance. You understand, don't you, Sakura?" She didn't, really. In any other circumstance she would be furious, but she saw the pain he was clearly going through. She saw the guilt still coursing through his veins.

"You won't be gone long, right?" she asked. He stared up at the ceiling. "I'll try and come back after a few weeks, but there are no guarantees."

"I don't want you to go," Sakura whispered. Sasuke looked back at her and tightened his hold on her waist.

"I'll always come home to you, Sakura, I swear."

And that was all she needed, an assurance. He would come home to her, he swore it. This promise became an additional marriage vow between them, that no matter where he went, he'd come back.

At the time, it seemed so simple and basic: he would go to perform a penance, then he would come home. She thought of it like a mission he'd go on, and she was prepared to wait.

The cynical part of her made her feel like he had trained her to wait for him.

The loving part of her didn't care.


End file.
